Little Genius
by riding-into-sunsets
Summary: "I can make it go boom." Master at making firearms. Check. Can use said firearms. Check. Somehow able to grasp vampire biology. Check. It seems like Regina Rizzo is the answer to everyone's problems. Too bad she's not exactly willing to help the two new vamps in town. Well, that's until Damon starts threatening her loved ones. No friendship is perfect, right? Stefan/OC/Klaus. Pilot


**Hellooo! Here I am again, after a long absence. I haven't written anything in a while! This story has been the first worthwhile idea I've had in a long time. So, without going into too much detail, this fic centers around a young girl living in Mystic Falls who makes ammo for the council along with her alcoholic mother. I liked the idea of having a science-y character among the main cast to see what ripples she'd cause. Rizzo won't be just stealing one-liners here and there, she'll be changing entire plotlines.**

 **Lindsey Morgan is her faceclaim, in case anyone was wondering. Raven Reyes is a big inspiration for Rizzo's personality. Hope ya'll enjoy! Let me know if you liked it or if you have any suggestions!**

* * *

 _wise men speak because they have something to say;  
_ _fools because they have to say something  
_ _ **-plato, greek philosopher**_

* * *

 **INCHOATE**

* * *

 **DAMON SALVATORE** liked to know his enemies before he moved into town. He was aware that the council were still as hungry for vampire blood as ever, but they still thought vampires burned in the sun, and Damon could _bathe_ in sunlight and still come out unscathed. As far as the town council was concerned, Damon was on their side.

It was embarrassing to admit that his greatest enemy was a seventeen year old girl whose accusing eyes set him on edge. What made her suspicious of him, Damon didn't know. They hadn't even spoken yet. In his free time, Damon played the part of a stalker and followed her around town. Within a few days, his suspicions were proven valid.

Regina Rizzo was her name, though everyone just called her Rizzo, like that chick from _Grease_. She lived in a small, one-story house not far from the Lockwood Mansion. Her mother, Gianna, was an alcoholic who woke up screaming during the night. Damon had heard her while standing outside their house.

But it wasn't the alcoholic mother or the bruised arms that made Damon anxious, it was the fact that both mother and daughter made guns and explosives every day by the dozen. And guess who got the artillery?

The damn council.

Now, Damon wasn't afraid of the council. But for some reason his second sense was telling him to be wary of the tanned girl with the bruised arms and accusing eyes.

* * *

Regina Rizzo's day started much the same as any teenager, with the sharp sound of a bottle of vodka colliding with the floor.

She hopped out of her room, her jeans only covering one leg as she struggled to pull the second leg over her knee. Once she had succeeded in putting on her jeans, she sprinted into what was once the garage, eyes widening when she saw her mother on the floor, choking on her own vomit.

"Shit, Mom," she muttered as she fell onto her knees beside her mother.

Shards of glass surrounded Gianna Rizzo's body and some had even cut into her skin. Careful to not cause more cuts, Regina rolled her mother onto her side to stop her choking to death. Vomit spilled out of Gianna's mouth. It was disgusting, but at least she wasn't choking to death.

" _You're okay, Mama. You're okay,"_ she whispered in Italian, gingerly taking out shards of glass from her mother's arms and rubbing her back soothingly. _"I'm gonna get you to bed, okay? Can you stand?"_

"No, no!"

her mother protested. _"I have to finish working. Lockwood wants the ammo today. I won't get paid..."  
_

" _No, you'll blow up the garage again._ _I'll finish up. Promise,"_ she swore, hooking her mother's arm over her shoulder and helping the older woman stand.

They had to stop three times on their way to her mother's bedroom so Gianna could puke up the alcoholic shit she had poisoned her body with. Regina carefully placed her mother in the bed and tucked her in.

" _You're so good to me, mija. I don't tell you that enough,"_ her mother slurred, alternating between Spanish and Italian. She did that a lot when she was drunk.

" _Sleep well, Mama,"_ she whispered, giving her mother a short peck on the forehead.

She turned the lights off and quietly shut the door. Regina wasn't even out of the room for five seconds when she heard her mother's loud snoring. _At least its snoring this time, not screaming,_ Regina couldn't help but think. She sighed and made her way to the garage, throwing herself into her work.

There was something surprisingly calming about making explosives and firearms. Maybe it was the fact that she was totally in control; she could blow up the whole damn house if she wanted to. Or maybe it was the way her nimble fingers moved rhythmically as she put together the pieces of a grenade or a gun holding vervain bullets. Regina loved doing anything that she was good at, and if it involved fixing, making or upgrading, Regina excelled at it.

When she was finished, she carefully packed the ammo into a sturdy box and wrote on it with bright red marker. _For Mayor Lockwood. Highly dangerous. This shit will blow your brains out._

She got her rugsack and started walking towards the Lockwood Mansion, carrying her big box of explosives. Neighbours sent her strange looks, which was understandable, but she made this journey more than once a month. You'd think they'd get over it by now.

Mrs Lockwood was waiting for her in front of their garage. She didn't even bother smiling at Regina as the younger girl approached, choosing instead to frown and purse her lips.

"Everything's in there?"

"Yup," she replied, popping the 'p.' "Oh, wait, I think I put a grenade in my bra. Kidding, kidding!" she added quickly upon seeing Mrs Lockwood's face.

"You're quite something, Regina, aren't you?" Mrs Lockwood commented. Regina winced, hearing the bite in her tone and not liking being called by her first name. No one but Mrs Lockwood and her mother had called her 'Regina' since the second grade.

"Where's the boss? Finally putting those explosives to use?" Regina questioned, if only to rile Mrs Lockwood up a bit more.

"I hate to say it like this, but it really is none of your business."

Oh... _snap._

"Right." She blinked a few times. "Right, well, I'm gonna go find Ty. See you around, Mrs L."

The mayor's wife barely acknowledged her, only giving a short hum in response. Regina had given up on making that woman like her a long time ago. Neither Mr or Mrs Lockwood liked her very much. They viewed her as trash whose mere presence was corrupting their perfect son. But at least Mr Lockwood _tried_ to be civil, his wife was just a downright bitch.

A few seconds after she rang the doorbell, she heard Tyler rush down the stairs and open the door. Regina pressed her back against the wall, struggling to keep herself quiet. Tyler walked out onto his patio and looked around the front garden, a confused look on his face when he couldn't see anyone.

Regina took that as her cue. She launched towards him and jumped onto his back, covering his eyes with her hands while bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Three guesses who," she whispered into his ear.

"Dammit, Riz, you scared the hell out of me," Tyler chastised, though he was laughing now too.

"Yeah, well, you know what they say about a good scare. Gets the heart going."

"You've gotten skinnier," he observed, looking her up and down. "Have you eaten breakfast?"

"You worry too much, Ty. Did anyone ever tell you that?"

She pressed her lips to his, hoping that it would stop him from offering her food. She had taken enough from him already, and she couldn't give anything back except for the occasional on-the-house car repair. She was in his debt, and she hated that.

"Nice try," he said, his forehead pressed against hers. "I'm gonna get you breakfast and you're gonna eat it. Wait in the car."

"Ty-" she tried, but before she could say anything he had disappeared into the house. Her stomach grumbled, silencing any arguments she could make. Sighing, she got into Tyler's car and waited for him to join her.

It took him five minutes. He passed her the bowl of cereal and the lunch box and started the car. Regina raised her eyebrows at the lunch box filled with fruit, croissants and bread.

"Are you trying to feed an army or a Rizzo?"

"I haven't seen you in three days. How many times have you eaten in those three days, huh?" Regina pressed her lips together and chose not to reply. Tyler let out a sigh as he reversed the car out of the driveway. "Look, I'm just worried about you. Your mom's never been the best, but having to shut yourself in that house for three whole days to take care of her? Riz, I think-"

"Well don't," Regina snapped. Her glare softened as soon as the words came out, guilt washing over her. "Look, I'm sorry. But I only have to stick this for one more year and then I'll be eighteen and free to do whatever I want."

Tyler hummed in response before focusing on the road in front of him. The conversation became lighter after that. They chatted about the game next Friday night and the scouts who were coming to recruit. Coach Tanner thought Tyler was a shoe in for a football scholarship, and Regina had to agree. No one played football better than Tyler.

"This baby still working?" she asked as Tyler reversed into a parking space, turning his head around so he could see behind him.

"Yep, hasn't broken down since," Tyler smiled at her. "You outdid yourself this time."

"I try my best," Regina stated proudly.

"Here we are again," Tyler stated as he parked the car in front of the school.

"Here we are," Regina repeated, unbuckling her seatbelt and getting out of the car.

This year was going to be a tough one. She had elected to take 9 AP classes out of desperation. Her college application wasn't anything special – her extracurriculars included fixing cars, making firearms and taking care of her alcoholic mother, and only one of those could go down on paper – and she needed something to make herself more appealing to universities. What was more appealing than a teen genius?

Regina's thoughts were steered away from her worryingly uncertain future when she spotted a certain brunette staring at them with wide eyes. Vicki Donovan. Regina's stomach churned with an emotion she was all too familiar with. _Jealousy._

"I have to go meet Tanner before school starts. I'll see you at lunch?"

A lie. Tanner was always right on time, arriving at the school only a minute before class started.

"Yeah, you will," she promised.

She cupped his face in her hands and pressed her lips against his. The kiss might have seemed passionate to anyone watching, but Regina knew better. Maybe it was passionate on Tyler's part, but to Regina it was filled with desperation. She felt like she was loosing him. He was all she had, and she was loosing him.

"Woah, what was that about?" Tyler asked once they had broke apart.

"I love you," she stated, annunciating those three words as though the phrase was the only thing that could keep them together.

"And I love you," he replied. He pressed a short kiss to her forehead. "I'll see you later, babe, okay?"

"Yeah."

She watched him sprint away from her as she ran her fingers through her ponytail and sighed. Blinking back tears, she cursed herself for being _that girl_. The girl whose happiness and sense of worse depended on some guy. But Tyler was more than just _some guy_ , he was everything.

Deciding that standing in the middle of a parking lot and glaring at the back of her boyfriend wasn't the most productive thing she could be doing, she took a deep breath and walked into the school. First thing first, she went to reception and got her timetable, and then she went to her locker.

It took her three tries to get her locker combination right, not because she didn't notice, but because she kept glancing over at Vicki Donovan who was walking towards her. Regina groaned and banged her fist against her locker. Not happening.

"Hey, Rizzo."

"What do you want?" Regina snapped, not even sparing her a look. Her locker had just miraculously decided to open and she shoved a few books inside.

"Look, I know we haven't exactly been the closest of friends. We've barely even spoken, but before I tell you something that will probably make you hate me just know that I never wanted to hurt you."

"Go on," Regina encouraged, closing her locker shut.

"Well, this summer something happened between me and Tyler. We..." She sucked in a deep breath. "We slept together, Rizzo. A few times – _a lot_. He told me that you two had broken up, that you were only friends now, and I didn't see you together enough to realise that he was lying. But then today in the parking lot you kissed him and..." She paused. "I'm so sorry, Rizzo."

Regina's eyes darkened at that. She didn't want her pity. She didn't want anyone's pity. "So you're gonna stop seeing him?" she asked calmly.

Vicki blinked a few times. She probably expected Rizzo to yell at her or to start crying. What she didn't know was that Regina had dealt with this shit way too many times to get emotional.

"Yes, yes, of course," she promised, biting her lower lip. "You don't seem surprised." Regina shrugged. "You already knew, didn't you?"

"Maybe." The tanned girl shrugged again.

"So why didn't you break up with him?"

"I'm not going to break up with Tyler just because he's screwing with a few girls," Regina scoffed. "He's everything to me. I'm not gonna throw that down the drain because of a few mistakes."

Vicki winced at being called a 'mistake.' "You call fucking half of the cheerleading squad a few mistakes?"

Now it was Regina's turn to wince. She knew about that. She knew about everything. Sometimes, Tyler's conquests would tell her themselves, accompanied with the same lame-ass apology. _"I didn't know." "I was drunk." "It all happened so fast."_

And Regina would respond with the same sentiment every time.

"Look here, Donovan. My relationship with Tyler is none of your damn business, so don't pretend to understand what's going on with the two of us better than I do. All you should worry your pretty little head about is staying away from him. Or don't. See if I care."

With that, she stormed past Vicki, bumping into the elder girl's shoulder as she did. Tears formed in her eyes as she entered Tanner's classroom, blurring her vision. She blinked them away furiously. _Damn it, Rizzo. Pull it together._

Why wasn't she enough? He was enough for her. Why wasn't she enough for him?

Just as the bell rang, a new student walked into the classroom, clad in a leather jacket. His hair was a blondish brown and his skin was a little on the pale side... but, boy, was he a looker. Regina imagined that under that leather jacket, the boy had arms.

Maybe if she was a better person who dealt with things the right way, she'd feel guilty for looking. But she didn't. Not one bit.

* * *

The last bell of the day rang and Regina went to her locker to get some books for homework. She had an hour to kill after-school because Tyler had football practice and he was her ride. Usually, she sat in the stands and studied. Sometimes she watched, and sometimes, when her day went bad enough, she smoked pot behind the bleachers.

She opened her locker, her movements imprecise due to the bubbling rage in her belly. It didn't help that she kept getting the combination wrong, even though she knew exactly what it was. She slammed her fist against the locker.

"Dammit," she cursed, her anger slowly dissipating.

"Bad day?"

Regina turned her head to see who it was. Bonnie Bennett was leaning against the locker next to hers, a smile on her face. Regina gave a small laugh.

"Try bad year," Regina replied. She tried her locker combination again, and sighed in relief when the locker opened this time.

Bonnie laughed at her. "There you go."

"Where's your other half?" Regina asked, looking around for Elena. Where one was, the other wasn't far behind.

"She wanted to go to the cemetery," Bonnie said softly. "I think it helps her... you know."

"It can't be easy." Regina didn't know what she'd do if her mother died, and they weren't even close.

"No, it really isn't. She's putting on a brave face, but..." Bonnie trailed off.

Silence fell between them as Regina put her books into her bag before Bonnie started speaking again.

"You should come with us to the Grill," Bonnie suggested. Seeing that Regina was going to reject the invitation by just looking at her expression, Bonnie hastily continued. "Come on, it'll just be me, Caroline and Elena, and you, obviously. Get out for a change."

Regina appreciated the gesture. Usually people stayed away from Regina after one conversation. She wasn't the most charismatic person, and she didn't make the effort to be likeable. She was cold and harsh and honest, and people didn't like that.

But Bonnie Bennett was different. Bonnie persisted, even though Regina wasn't the nicest person, and that was why she liked her.

"Look, Bonnie, as much as I appreciate the gesture, its not really my scene," she explained. "And I have a lot of chores to do." _Like making sure my mother doesn't blow up the house because we don't have insurance._ "Maybe some other time."

"I'll hold you to that," Bonnie said with a small smile.

They went their separate ways; Bonnie to the changing rooms, and Regina to the football field. The football team was already on the field, mercilessly tackling each other for the ball. Tyler was easily the best player, and Regina wasn't just saying that because she was his girlfriend. There was something about the way he played – he was both graceful and aggressive, if that was even possible, and he was fast too.

She couldn't help but think how cliché it was. Here she was, sitting in the stands watching her boyfriend's football practice while the cheerleading squad (who, if the rumours are true, and they usually are, Tyler has slept with half of) practice a few feet from her.

Every time she had to wait for Tyler to finish football practice, which was every day for the last two years, she remarked on how much of a mess her life had become. But yet here she was, yet again, watching her boyfriend on the field.

 _He sure likes to play the field,_ she thought, causing a grin to form on her face. She could almost laugh. Almost.

Shaking her head, she took her attention away from the football players, deciding that this time could be used more wisely. She took out her AP Calculus homework and started writing. Regina was one of those nerds who not only loved equations, but thrived at them. She loved the way her mind focused on solving problems, blocking out every other thought, sound or even person that could distract her.

The next time she looked up from the page, she saw that the football players were clearing off the field.

"Hit the showers!" Tanner yelled.

Regina put her calculus homework into her bag. She didn't have enough time to start on anything else, so she stood up and started heading to the car. Before she was anywhere near them, Regina heard a group of cheerleaders giggling. She rolled her eyes. _Bimbos,_ every one of them, except for Bonnie Bennett.

She prepared herself for the meaningless chat Caroline Forbes was no doubt going to force her into as she approached the cheerleaders. What she didn't prepare herself for, however, was seeing her boyfriend whisper sweet nothings into Cher Daniels' ear. Regina's stomach churned with that all too familiar feeling. Some of the cheerleaders, like Bonnie and Caroline, gave her looks filled with pity, while the others looked at her challengingly, wanting her to make a scene.

Instead, Regina swallowed and walked past them. Tyler hadn't seen her, his back had been facing her. At least she got to avoid that awkward conversation. She never wanted to have that conversation with him. It would just bring up a whole lot of emotions that she'd rather stay buried.

She messed around on her phone while she waited, looking through old photos and even playing a game of tetris, anything to keep her mind off the betrayal she felt. She didn't even feel sad anymore, or angry. She wanted to feel all of that, but she couldn't. The first time she saw Tyler making out with a cheerleader at the back of school, it had hurt like a bitch. She couldn't breath it hurt so bad. Anger had cursed through her veins, sadness pooling in her belly. She hadn't cried until she was in her room that night writing an essay on Macbeth. It hurt less every time it happened. She suppressed her feelings so much that she barely felt them at all, because else could she do?

Tyler was everything to her. Her ride to school, her first friend, her first kiss, the only person in the world who loved and cared about her... and she loved him. She loved him so much, and he couldn't keep his dick to himself.

Her phone screen became blurry. Regina wiped furiously at her eyes. She'd be damned if she let anyone see her cry.

"Hey, babe," Tyler said, kissing her head. She gave him a small smile and got into the car. "Get much homework?"

"I did most of it while waiting," Regina replied. "How about you?"

"10 pages of physics homework," Tyler groaned as he started the engine. "I could use some help." He sent her a quick smirk.

"No way. Last time I 'helped' you with physics homework I ended up doing all of it."

"Hey, you got carried away. Not my fault." He grinned over at her.

"And you didn't stop me."

"You got that look in your eye. It was too adorable to stop," Tyler teased, chuckling.

Regina let out a hearty laugh. It was like all her previous pain had just disappeared into thin air as she joked with him. "Well, its not helping if you're not learning anything."

"That's not true."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," he repeated, and turned his head to look at Regina. There was so much love in his eyes that Regina almost melted. "I learn that you're smartest person in the world. And the most beautiful."

"You're an idiot," Regina playfully slapped his knee and left her hand there.

Slowly, she slid her hand up his thigh, smirking as she heard him take a deep breath. They were nearly at her house, and that was good enough for her. Her hands neared the zipper of his pants, feeling the bulge beneath his jeans.

"Riz..." he warned, his body tensing as he pulled into her driveway.

"Tyler," she replied teasingly, unzipping his jeans and releasing his dick.

"You don't have to do this," he told her softly, his breath catching in his throat as she took his dick in her hand and leaned over the console.

"No, I want to." That wasn't a lie. She did want to, just maybe not for the right reasons.

She blew him, car parked in her driveway, keeping herself steady with one hand on the car seat as her head bobbed up and down. Tyler ran her fingers through her ponytail, groaning and whispering curses. They were out in the open, anyone could just walk by and see a young girl blowing her boyfriend in his convertible. That was what made it so thrilling.

It took him a total of three minutes to come. Record time, but Regina had always been skilled at blow jobs. She swallowed and wiped her chin.

"That was quick," Regina commented.

"Yeah, well, its you."

Regina sent him a sweet smile and kissed him on the lips. It was only meant to be a short peck to say goodbye, but before she knew it she was straddling his lap and sticking her tongue down his throat.

"I'm gonna go now," she whispered, kissing the nape of Tyler's neck before getting out of the car.

"What's gotten into today, Riz?" Tyler asked, laughing. "Can't keep your hands off me."

"Yeah, well, its you," Regina mimicked.

They bid each other goodbye and Tyler drove off in his silver car. Regina found herself smiling like a lovestruck 14 year old as she walked into her house, greeted by the sound of someone retching and the smell of vomit.

Her face fell.

* * *

Since he learned how to drive, Tyler had been Regina's lift to school. Her mother hadn't driven in years, having sold their car for more money to spend on alcohol. So when Tyler texted her ten minutes before school starts saying that he wasn't driving her, to say Regina was stuck for a lift was an understatement.

And to pour salt to the wound, Tyler's reason for not going to school was that 'he didn't feel like it.' Regina could only see red after reading that text. She couldn't just blow off school because she 'didn't feel like it.' She didn't have a mommy and daddy who'd pay her way through life if the education route didn't work out.

So, Regina had to walk to school, which took a good three quarters of an hour at a good pace. She would have taken the bus if he'd let her known sooner, but the bus left an hour ago so that wasn't an option anymore.

"Dick," she grumbled.

What sickened her the most was how nonchalant he was about it. He did stuff like this way too often, and she kept forgiving him. She always forgave him.

Groaning in frustration, she kicked a can of coke down the sidewalk. "What did that can ever do to you?"

Regina looked around for the person speaking to her. The source was the new kid, Stefan, she recalled. He was talking to her while sitting in his mustang. Regina had to admire the car. It looked like it was from the seventies, but the engine still ran smoothly from the sound of its hum.

"Stefan, right?" she greeted.

"Yeah. The new kid," he replied with a chuckle. "Need a lift?"

"Desperately." With a grateful smile she hopped in beside him. "My ride's ditching and didn't tell me until ten minutes ago, even though we live, like, an hour away from school on foot." Stefan chuckled. "It's Rizzo, by the way."

"That's Italian, isn't it?"

"Sure is. You're good," she complimented, flashing him a smile. "It's my surname, as you might have guessed. Mom's part Italian, part Mexican."

"And everyone just calls you by your surname?" Regina nodded. "Isn't that weird?"

"Not really. Nobody calls me by my first name anymore, haven't since the second grade." She narrowed her eyes at him, sizing him up. "You're Italian too, right?"

The new kid tensed, as though she had just uncovered some big secret. "Yeah, kinda. Distantly. My, uh, ancestors came from Italy."

Regina nodded. The new kid turned his head to look at her reaction. He seemed nervous. Usually she'd expect the new kid in school to be nervous and shy, but for some reason Stefan didn't seem like the type of guy to ever be uneasy around people. He was so... cool, she supposed. He had a devil-may-care vibe about him.

"How'd you know?" Stefan asked after a few moments of silence.

"You just have that vibe." Judging by the look on his face, Stefan didn't know whether he should take her seriously or laugh. Regina smiled at him. "I heard Tanner say you're surname on the roll yesterday. You can't get more Italian than Salvatore. Means saviour. But you seem like the type of guy to know that."

She wasn't usually the chattiest person when it came to communicating with anyone other than Tyler, but Stefan just gave off a friendly vibe that made conversation come easy.

They spent the rest of the ride chatting about Italy, the Italian language and cars. Regina wasn't surprised to learn that Stefan had an interest in cars, since his own thirty year old mustang ran so well. That didn't stop Regina from giving him a few tips. He seemed surprised by her interest in cars, which wasn't surprising for her. No one expects a seventeen year old girl to have an interest in auto-mechanics.

"Wait, so you're telling me that even though you're obviously a human encyclopedia on auto-mechanics, you don't own a car? Not even a _bike_?"

"Nope."

"But why?"

"Cars aren't exactly cheap, Stefan," she deadpanned as he parked his car at the back of the school parking lot.

"No, they're not. That's why you buy a car that doesn't work anymore and fix it up. With a brain like yours, that should be no problem."

"And what about insurance? Tax?"

"You can figure that out after you get your car." Stefan smiled at her. "Even if you can't get it on the road, you'll enjoy putting the car together. You seem like the type of girl who'd enjoy a challenge."

Regina raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "One car trip and you know me like the back of your hand."

"I'm good at reading people," Stefan admitted, shrugging his shoulders and shoving his hands into his pockets as they walked into school. "See you around?"

"See you around, Salvatore."

* * *

When Regina entered the house that evening, she was surprised to find her mother singing and bustling around the kitchen. She couldn't remember the last time she saw her mother smile. A _real_ smile, not that drunken smile that sent shivers down Regina's spine.

Her mother kissed her on the cheek and smiled at her, for once looking the part of an adoring parent. Regina wanted to fall for it. She wanted to make the most of her mother's good mood, but her naturally suspicious nature wouldn't let her, not to mention the extreme lack of trust she had in her mother.

She hated not knowing when she came home whether she was going to get the mom or the monster.

" _Come on in, mija. Eat dinner with me. Its been so long,"_ her mother cooed in Spanish, gesturing to the plate on the table.

Ham sandwiches, that was her mother's idea of dinner. But it was food nonetheless, and Regina took what she was given. Gianna poured herself a glass of vodka mixed with cola and downed it in less than ten seconds. She poured herself another glass, then another, then another... Regina knew better than to ask her to stop, so she ate her dinner quietly, only speaking when spoken too. The bruise she had from the last time her mother's temper was flared hadn't fully healed yet, and she had no desire to get another one.

" _How was school today?"_

"Good,"

Regina replied, swallowing down the last of her sandwich. _"I'm getting straight As. My teachers think I can get into an Ivy League if I keep my grades up and get involved in more extracurriulars."_

Her mother leaned over and pinched her cheek. _"I'm so proud of you, mija. I really am."_

Regina's heart swelled. Praise from her mother was rare, so she enjoyed it while it was being offered.

" _And how's that boy of yours? Tyler, he's a fine catch."_

"He's great."

A smile formed on her face at the mention of her boyfriend. _"He's roped me into going to this party tonight. I told him I had to study. He told me to bring my books if I had to, but I was going and that was the end of it."_

"He's right, you know. You deserve a bit of fun after all the hard work you do."

Her mother gave her a bright smile. Regina's heart swelled again.

She heard a car beeping outside and stood up, grabbing her jacket and pulling it on. _"You can leave the dishes, Ma_ _m_ _á_ _. I can do them when I come home."_

"Nonsense. I'll clean up. You have fun, mija."

For a few seconds, Regina stood there by the door silently. She watched her mother, eyes wide, as Gianna hummed to herself and threw the dishes into the sink. Gulping, she tore her eyes away and walked out of the house, climbing into Tyler's convertible.

She gave him a short peck on the cheek. "Have a nice day?"

"Oh yeah. I tried out a new workout routine. Tanner thinks I can make state if I improve my fitness levels."

Regina forced a smile. "That's great."

"How about you? Anything interesting happen today in school?"

"Nope. Same old, same old," Regina replied. "Ms. Griffin gave back our back-to-school tests."

"Yeah? What you get?" Tyler pried, and Regina sent him a smirk. "Come on, tell me!"

"Full marks," she told him proudly.

"God, you're a fucking genius, Riz. You need to get your IQ tested," he gushed.

"Come on, it wasn't that hard..."

"You're the only person to ever ace a Ms. Griffin's physics test. That's a record in itself," Tyler argued.

Regina hummed in thought. She knew she was incredibly smart for a seventeen year old, and she wasn't one to be modest about her abilities, but even if her IQ was sky high, what opportunity would that give her? It wouldn't get her a scholarship, and that's what she really needed.

"Oh. I brought you the work from school," Regina said, breaking the silence as she reached into her bag and pulled out a folder. She placed the schoolwork on the backseat, smirking as Tyler groaned. "Now you have no excuse."

"I swear to God, you're worse than my teachers."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

They pulled up close to the Falls where the back-to-school party was held each year. She didn't usually attend, but this year Tyler guilt-tripped her into going. If there was one person she couldn't say no to, it was him.

"Hey, Rizzo!" Bonnie greeted enthusiastically, jogging towards her.

"I'm gonna go talk to Matt," Tyler leaned down to whisper in her ear.

Regina pecked him on the lips. "Don't get too wasted."

"I'll try."

She gave him a light shove in the direction where Matt was before turning to Bonnie. "What's up?"

"I've been ditched by Elena," Bonnie announced, pouting. "Come drink with me."

"I don't..."

"Loosen up, Riz. If anyone deserves some booze, its you." She handed her a glass full of cyder. "Bottom's up."

She'd never made a vow not to drink or anything, it was just that her experiences with alcohol had never been favourable. She couldn't help but think of alcohol as her adversary, the liquid that ruined her mother. Maybe she was afraid that it would ruin her too.

But one glass couldn't hurt, right?

"Bottom's up," she agreed, smiling as she downed the alcoholic liquid with one short gulp.

"Damn, the girl can drink," Bonnie commented, looking at Regina with something like appreciation.

Both of her parents were alcoholics. Might as well live up to her heritage.

She poured herself another cup, then another, then another. It came to a stage where even Bonnie was telling her to stop, but she didn't listen. She felt all warm and fuzzy. Everything was better when drunk. For the first time ever, Regina could understand why her mother was an alcoholic. Being drunk as a skunk was fun.

Regina reached for the bottle of vodka and started pouring herself another glass. Before the glass was even half full, Bonnie grabbed the young mechanic's wrist and shook her head.

"I think you've had enough," Bonnie warned, her voice firm. Even when drunk, Regina understood that Bonnie wasn't going to be easily swayed this time.

"Nuh-uh, whatcha tokkin bout? I'm just gettin' started!" Regina slurred.

She tried to pour the rest of the vodka into the glass, but ended up spilling a lot of it on the table. Tears pooled in her eyes and Regina felt a lump forming in her throat. The tears started streaming down her face. It startled Regina. She wasn't an easy crier. If this was what alcohol turned her into, she didn't want any more.

"Riz, Riz, calm down," Bonnie said, startled, as Regina started hiccuping. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I shpilled it. I-I washted it! Shomeone paid g-good money for dat and I just schpilled it!" Regina sobbed. "And n-now, shomeone's g-gonna want shomemore alcohol and theirnotgonnagetanybecauseIschpilled it!"

"Well, there's no point in crying over spilled vodka," Bonnie soothed, rubbing Regina's back.

"Always cry over spilled vodka," Regina muttered. She clutched onto Bonnie for dear life, not able to stand on her own. "Vodka is good. Nice and friendly. And fuzzy."

"Fuzzy, huh?" Bonnie asked as her eyes darted around the surrounding area for someone to help her out.

"Uh-oh," Regina muttered when she felt her stomach lurch.

She stepped away from Bonnie and doubled over, clutching her stomach as vomit spilled from her lips and onto the ground. She felt someone pull her hair out of her face and glanced behind her, seeing that it was Bonnie. Before she could thank her, another rush of bile rose up her throat and she was emptying her stomach again.

"Feel better?" Bonnie asked once the other girl was finished vomiting.

"Oh yeah."

"You got a bit of... yeah," Bonnie said, pointing at the left corner of Regina's lip.

Wiping whatever vomit remained with her finger, Regina opened her mouth to thank Bonnie, but was interrupted when Bonnie yelled, "Oh, God, Caroline. I gotta go take care of drunkie number two. Will you be okay?"

She nodded silently and gave her a reassuring smile, still swaying. Conflicted, Bonnie looked between the two drunks, finally deciding that Caroline was the more dire case at that moment. The blonde cheerleader was currently stumbling towards a group of guys that would either make fun of her or date rape her.

"Hey." Regina turned around to see Matt Donovan standing beside her, looking concerned. "Bonnie sent me over. You don't look so good."

Even though they were in the same year and had the same friends, it wasn't often that the two talked. Matt was nicer than Tyler's other friends, and the only one that Regina approved of.

"That's because I'm wasted," Regina slurred. She hated being like this, totally out of control, her brain hazy. "I'm so fucking wasted. I haven't drank like this in... ever. I don't do this shit. What the hell is up with me?"

"Hey, hey. Don't be too hard on yourself," Matt soothed, a kind half-grin on his face. "You can't always be Miss Responsible. You're only seventeen."

"Tell that to my mother," she muttered. Matt didn't get it. She'd become Miss Responsible at age seven, when her mother got a bit too fond of the booze.

"Yeah, well, your mom sucks."

Regina looked up at him in surprise for two reasons. The first reason was because she was shocked he even knew about her home situation. She then reasoned that Tyler probably told him. The second reason was because, other than Tyler, whenever she complained about her mother to someone they'd usually purse their lips and nod in agreement, afraid of offending her.

"My mom sucks too," Matt added when Regina didn't say anything. "It's tough having to act like an adult because the person whose supposed to take care of you wants to be the kid."

"It sure is," Regina agreed. It dawned on her that they were no longer at the party, but rather somewhere in the woods, alone. She hadn't realised they'd walked so far. "I'm gonna sit down."

And by sit down, she meant _fall down_. Right on her ass.

Matt chuckled and sat down beside her, a little more graceful that she had been.

"Where's Tyler actually? I haven't seen him all night," Regina asked.

Matt's whole body tensed. "Rizzo..."

Nodding, Regina understood _perfectly_ where he was. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and schooled her expression into indifference, but her voice betrayed her. "Vicki. He's with Vicki, isn't he?"

He didn't say anything. He didn't have to.

"I used to be picked first for everything," Regina said, staring on ahead at the trees in front of her. "Gym class. Internships. Every other damn class. Picked first, every time. So how the hell did I end up here?"

"If it helps," Matt started after a few moments of silence, "I'd pick you first."

Wiping away the tears that had stubbornly fallen from her eyes, she straightened herself and let out a laugh. "Of course you would. I'm awesome."

Matt laughed with her. Before she could stop herself, Regina pressed her lips to his. It was chaste at first, unsure. Regina didn't whether it was the alcohol or the emotions, or maybe a mixture of both, but within seconds she had thrown her leg over his lip and was straddling him. She deepened the kiss.

Just as she started to open his belt, Matt broke the kiss. "There are better ways you could handle this, you know. Like breaking up with him."

Regina sighed and laid back in the grass, staring up at the dark night sky. Matt placed a hand on her knee.

"He doesn't deserve you."

She tried to hide her surprise, but by the way her eyes became round and wide, it must have been obvious. She didn't believe him. If anything, she didn't deserve Tyler. Regina looked away and placed her hand on her belly. Her eyes fluttered shut. Before she could resist it, sleep took her.

The next thing she knew, she heard yelling come from far away. Vicki's name was all she could make out. She glanced at the space beside her where Matt had been, finding no one there. Scrambling onto her feet, she dusted the dirt off her jeans and started walking towards where everyone else was.

"We meet again."

Fear igniting in her stomach, Regina whipped around. It was _him._ The guy from the Grill. The vampire who killed Isobel.

 _It was another one of those nights where Regina lost track of time studying at the Grill. She was studying the textbooks she had just purchased for junior year, or rather_ Tyler _had purchased for her. She needed to get started on the coursework if she wanted to study aerospace engineering in a good school. Right now, her chances weren't looking too good._

 _Holding her head in her hands as she tried to grasp the fundamentals of cell biology, she groaned before falling back in the chair. She took a chug of water from her bottle and looked at her surroundings. Everyone else was having fun while she spent her Friday night studying._

 _Her eyes darted from one group of friends to another, until they landed on one man. He was alone like she was. But that wasn't what she found so striking about him. She recognised him from somewhere. Where that was or who he was she couldn't recall..._

 _And then it hit her._

 _He was_ the vampire. _The vampire who killed Isobel Flemming. The vampire who killed her step-mother._

"Rizzo, isn't it?" the vampire said, stepping closer to her. Regina was tongue-tied. "Regina Rizzo. I don't think we've officially met. I'm Damon Salvatore," he held out a hand. "But you know that, don't you?"

Salvatore. Stefan. They were related. Regina took care to note that little detail, but hoped that it didn't mean anything. She actually liked Stefan.

"I didn't actually," Regina replied, glancing at his hand with something somewhere between disgust and fear.

"But _you_ know _me_."

"You killed her," Regina spat, fists clenched by her sides. "You fed off her and just left. You took her body."

"I've killed a lot of people," Damon replied, feigning something like sympathy. "I'm a _vampire._ But you know _that,_ don't you? I've been watching you, Rizzo, as stalker-ish as that sounds. I've watched you make guns and grenades spiced up with vervain because your poor alcoholic mother can't. You know what I am. You know I killed that person, whoever the hell she was. Why didn't you tell one of your friends at the council?"

"They're not my _friends_. They're my employers. And what would I tell them? That I think there's a vampire in the area? They already know that. You haven't exactly been discrete," Regina said, eyes narrowed at the vampire in front of her.

"I don't have to be. The council are idiots," Damon laughed. "As long as you keep your pretty mouth shut, I should be just fine."

"And why would I do that?" Regina sneered.

Damon smirked. "You don't have much of a choice."

The vampire bared his teeth, veins crawling from his eyes as their colour darkened. Regina was terrified. No, scratch that, she was scared shitless. Finally regaining control of her body, she fumbled for the gun she'd kept in the waistband of her jeans ever since she had seen him at the Grill that night. She pulled it out and pointed it towards the vampire, pressing the trigger.

A loud bang sounded through the forest as the bullet collided with the vampire's stomach. Regina had aimed for his heart, but she wasn't much of a shot.

"Stay away from me!" she shouted, trying to sound firm. But her voice broke, ruining that illusion.

She backed away from Damon, slowly at first, before she broke into a run and sprinted away. She found Tyler in the crowd of people who had gathered at the centre of the party. They were all talking about the same thing.

"Hey, Riz, what happened to you?" Tyler asked, taking out a small stick from her hair.

"I got wasted and fell asleep in the woods," she explained. "What happened here?"

"Vicki was attacked by an animal," Tyler explained. He looked guilty. "They've taken her to the hospital. It's all my fault, I should have.."

"Hey, hey, its not your fault. How could it be your fault?" Regina soothed. She knew the answer. He was probably frolicking around with her in the forest before she got attacked.

If it was even possible, Tyler looked even more guilty. "Riz, I... I was with Vicki when she was attacked. We were... and I left when she said no... I'm so sorry."

If she hadn't already known about his philandering, Regina wouldn't have understood what the hell he was talking about. But she did, and she didn't want to hear any more. She didn't want to have this conversation while drunk _or_ sober.

"Hey, guys, clear out. The cops will be here in about a half an hour and anyone still here is gonna be in trouble," Bonnie Bennett announced. The crowd of underage teenagers obediently left the scene of the party. Bonnie then turned to Rizzo. "You okay for a lift home?" she asked, glancing pointedly towards Tyler.

"Yeah, she is," Tyler answered for Regina. "I'm good to drive."

Bonnie looked to Regina for her response. Mutely, she nodded and gave Bonnie a reassuring smile. Reluctance was written all over Bonnie's face, and Regina was tempted to change her answer and go with Bonnie instead of having to have _that conversation_ with Tyler.

"Okay," Bonnie eventually replied. "I'll catch you around, Riz."

"Bye, Bonnie."

She walked with Tyler to his car, not bothering with conversation. It was much easier to pretend that she didn't feel betrayed when Tyler acted like nothing was wrong. But now that he knew that she knew, things would be different between them. Regina didn't want that.

"Riz-" Tyler started after they had gotten into his car, breaking the silence.

"Tyler, stop. Please. I can't... I don't want to talk about this," Regina insisted firmly, suddenly feeling very sober. "I don't ever want to talk about this. Let's just pretend like it never happened, okay?"

"Rizzo..."

"Do you love me, Tyler?" Regina asked, her voice cracking. She felt so vulnerable.

Tyler grabbed her hand and nodded, smiling at her with such fondness in his eyes that Regina almost melted. "Yes. More than anything."

"Then that's all that matter," Regina stated, more trying to convince herself than him.

* * *

 **Her relationship with Tyler was very frustrating to write, and it must be frustrating to read too, but just understand that it's difficult for her to cut ties with him because he's taken care of her, her entire life. There's a lot of love and loyalty there.**

 **I'm a bit iffy about this idea, since I haven't seen it done before. But hey, maybe that's a good thing!**


End file.
